What if Brazilian jiu-jitsu would be more open to women?

If you pratice Brazilian jiu-jitsu, you would also notice a small number of women in this sport. Good for self-defense, physical shape and mental, BJJ nevertheless does not attract women. So what should be done to make Brazilian jiu-jitsu more appealing for women?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s benefits for women

A good self-defense mean

In case of agression a man will always be stronger than a woman. Yes ladies, put your feminist and free-woman’s ego aside because, on this aspect, we are really weaker. And that’s why BJJ fits us!

Short reminder about the Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s concepts: give the possibility to a weaker person (us ladies for example) to resist a taller and stronger opponent (mister muscles) and to defeat him. More seriously it corresponds to the most part of assaults women have to deal with, especially sexual assault.

And  know what?! One of the most effective BJJ’s attack/defense position is being on your back with the oponent between your legs. Indeed Brazilian jiu-jitsu has developped its effectiveness in ground fighting and an agressor will often try to bring you in such position…

Another Example :

By the way BJJ became worldwide known after MMA fights in which Carlos or Helio Gracie’s children and grand-children won their fights by bringing strongest opponents to the ground.

Cardio, core muscle strengthening: a complet sport!

Forget the monotone « thighs/abdominals/buttocks»! Another BJJ’s advantage is that to be a very complete sport. It develops as good cardio, physical strength and sculpts the body. Another feminin magazin sales pitch?! No. BJJ uses all muscles and so tone up and strengthen the muscles.

Develop your well beeing in all situations.

BJJ helps to better deal with stress and to strengthen self-confidence. You might say, always the same arguments?… I can assure that your self-control and self-confidence are at the top level when you manage to deal with a 30kg heavier opponent’s assaults (even to tap him out, in this situation you feel the girl power increase!). Good on the mat and in everyday life.

So why are there only a few women in this martial art?

Overcome the first training stage

An important lake of communication around Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Man or woman here is one of the first difficulties. Step back and remember how you started BJJ. It’s often an acquaintance who brought you to the first class. In France Brazilian jiu-jitsu suffers from a flagrant lake of notoriety. With the MMA’s broadcast, where most fighters train Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques, the situation tends to improve. Nevertheless it does not represent well enough what BJJ really is and might not convince many girls to go on tatamis.

Overcome the hand-to-hand sparring’s a prioris

Once you heard about it, you have to overcome many Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s clichés, like « what’s this sport in which you hug each other » etc. It’s not easy for a man, so imagine for a woman who plans to practice this sport.

For me one explanation for the low number of women in jiu-jitsu is the unease they could feel. To try a new sport you need to go out your confort zone. It’s even more important as practicing Brazilian includes a lot of contacts and an important proximity with your training partners. It demands a considerable effort to present yourself at the edge of a tatami and to overcome your apprehensions in front a group of guys (« I am the only one woman, what will they think…). It is easier to go to a fitness gym!

The difficulty to get into a BJJ team

Once on the mat, the hardest part will come. In generally, the welcome is very important because it reflects the team’s state of mind, especially when welcoming a woman. As for everything, the first impression is very important.
It is necessary to guide the newcomer and treat her like any other jiu-jitsu mate, a light one. You will avoid mutual unease causing blunders:

• Women but not weak women!

Guys, we really appreciate when you are careful not to hurt us, it is a proof of respect and consideration. Nevertheless we are not dolls. We won’t break ourselves under a knee belly control for example. During technical exercises or sparring, judge the appropriate intensity but don’t handle us with kid gloves. In the long term, it will be frustrating and won’t be helpful for you and us.

• Avoid heavy-handed comments

During technical exercices or sparring avoid comments like « by the way, it’s my cup that you feel. (True! Seriously would say that to a guy ?!)…

• A fully-fledge training partner

When you have to choose a partner, don’t let women on the side. Do you remember in your childhood, when sport’s team were to be made and that you were the last one chosen? It’s exactly the same for a woman in BJJ class. Overcome the a priori. Working or rolling with a woman allows you to improve your game in a different, more technical way!

• Consideration!

Don’t hesitate to chat with them on the mat and invite them to competition or other gym’s events. It’s important to make women feel they completely belong to the team.

The first 6 months stage

A highly demanding learning process

Man or woman, the first six months of jiu-jitsu are often synonymous of pain. Moreover this sport requires high physical intensity, we spent our time to undergo the rolls… Blossoming through sport is still far away!

Being a light weight includes a specific BJJ’s approach: be smarter, more technical and faster to counterbalance strength and weight’s differences. It demands a lot more will and effort.

Toughness of the first rolls

Even if most of the BJJ practioners know how to adapt themselves to smaller and lighter ones, it happens that some of them use big strength. Ladies do not hesitate to tell them gently, it’s often involontary.

Some might have an excessiv ego (a minority, be reassured!). Rolling with a woman has no interest for them or is an opportunity to show their strength and virility. Be cool, manage it then avoid rolling with them. You won’t learn with this kind of sparring. You might give them a chance later, the adaptation time is more or less long, depending on one’s cleverness! It’s also a good way to see how your progress.

Coaches have also a role to play ! Designate the newcomer’s opponents (for both men and women) is a good mean to make sure that the sparring will go well for everybody.

Being a woman and practising a martial art

The woman’s presence on the mat is related to her private sphere. Practising BJJ implies to have a partner who accepts that you roll hand-to-hand with other men. To convince and reassure him, bring him to a class and show him that your are considered like another fighter. Even offer him to try, he might be captivated by the sport (I did it ! Now he is a BJJ geek like me and supports me a lot for this blog)!

How to develop Brazilian jiu-jitsu for women?

Improve the relationship between the academie’s members

Besides the BJJ’s notoriety which has to be developped, there’s first a need to work on the relationship. If you have women in your academy, ask them how they feel and what could be done to make them feel better. The training environment is primordial.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s female practioners: the best ambassadors

I think that current female practioners have an important role. On the mat we have to show that a woman can practice jiu-jitsu and that we are fully-fledge training partners. Outside the mat we are ambassadors and have to contribute to the development of BJJ for women. How? Starting by explaining to friends and colleagues what you do and try to take out a prioris and clichés. Lastly, being an example on the mat.

A new jiu-jitsu approach to bring women in?

For me it’s important to understand women’s motivations for combat sports:

• Highlight the self-defence aspect:

Some women wish to get real self-defense knowledge but this aspect is often abandoned in favour of the purely sports aspect of jiu-jitsu. Moreover classes are often built by men and for men who have a similar weight. Try to adapt your technics to lightweights and test to focus some class more on self-defense.

• Insert fitness in a funny way:

Work things off, stay in a good shape, strengthen muscles … These motivations might be less important but are still present. Like Gracie Barra ‘s « womens classes » or « boot camps », it might be interesting to propose women only classes including cardio, muscle strengthening in a funny way. Even if we have to suffer, let’s do it while having a good time!

So here are some trails to better open BJJ to women. For me there is no ready-made answer because each academy evolves in a proper context. Nevertheless it appears necessary to me to understand and consider women’s motivations in order to create an environment which makes them feel at ease so they want to come back!

Men and women will always take up and practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu in different ways. Offering an environment where women can evolve and roll with men will allow to evolve together. Jiu-jitsu’s diversity and open-mindedness have always been the strength of this martial art.

Debate remains open! I invite you to share your own experience or solutions to have more women on the mat !